Last year alone, foreigners bought 12,300 properties, with the majority likely concentrated along the coast. This surge in foreign investment coincides with a broader trend of increasing property transactions, as Croatia recorded 137,000 real estate deals in 2022, of which a record 13,300 involved foreign buyers.
Germans have consistently been among the top foreign buyers, purchasing 3,000 to 3,600 properties annually over the past few years
The Croatian Tourism Association has raised concerns about the rapid expansion of short-term rental accommodations, with 60,000 new beds added to the market in just one year, contributing to a significant drop in hotel accommodation, now below 10%—the lowest in the Mediterranean. This trend has sparked fears of “apartmentization,” as more properties are being converted into vacation rentals, altering the housing landscape.
However, in 2022, Slovenians overtook them, buying 3,400 properties. Austrians, Czechs, Slovaks, and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden also feature prominently among foreign buyers.
The regions with the highest number of transactions last year were Zagreb, Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Split-Dalmatia, and Zadar counties, reflecting the strong demand for properties in both urban and coastal areas.
Despite the influx of foreign buyers, Croatia’s Tax Administration notes that it does not have jurisdiction over property ownership data, indicating a gap in official oversight of the property market.
